One Of Those Days

Woke up today. Wish I could will myself to do it. Sometimes I get anxious about the day's trouble so I never actually have any sleep to wake up from. Today wasn't one of those days.

Maybe it should have been.

I have been in my new job as instructor of communication and director of student publications for two months now. Last Friday marked the second issue of the Bison, the student newspaper at HU. We publish semimonthly, so the first issue was Sept. 8. The first issue I went to bed at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday. Our deadlines are always on Thursday, so Wednesday nights aren't very conducive for sleep. So last Thursday I got to bed at 4:30 a.m. Getting better. I got back up to the office at 10 a.m. the same day. I made some quick edits, and my assistant and I packaged and uploaded the paper to a disc. We beat deadline by 30 minutes, so things were seemingly going well.

Friday we delivered the paper to on-campus newsstands. Students are always eager to leaf through our 12 pages of small-college news while downing chicken biscuits and ruby-red grapefruit juice. Arriving back at the office, the editor pointed out a mistake that had made it into the paper. Turns out the staff had granted someone an incorrect title. I tell my students (ad nauseum) credibility is the lifeblood of any publication (at least any publication that doesn't feature doctored photos of Saddam and Osama as secret lovers). Needless to say we had a small problem on our hands.

Friday I was granted a reprieve from hearing about our error. I headed to Tulsa to visit a friend and forget the Bison. Today the piper came calling. I received not one but two visits from concerned individuals about the mistake. I understand their concern. I was perturbed when I found out on Friday. We will be running a retraction next Bison. Still, I get the feeling when I get visitors it will only be regarding problems instead of praises. It's all eerily similar to my last job as a copy editor at a medium-sized daily. The only time you would hear from the bosses (or anybody for that matter) would be when you would screw up. I think this is the nature of the newspaper business. I guess HU is just a microcosm of the professional world. I suppose I expected something different with a position in which I am supposed to be the acting publisher. The publishers at the papers I've worked for in the past never heard from the ownership groups unless there was a problem with money. I'm lucky not to have to fumble too much with money. I don't have to fire anyone because of budget concerns. I don't have to deal with the irreligious views of coworkers.

At the end of the day, I am thankful to God for this job. Outside of Wednesday nights, I work reaasonable hours, and I get to serve in a sort of mentor position. Despite the criticism of the day, I really feel like I am making a difference. I feel like I am doing something important. I feel a charge to inspire my students/staffs to greatness, and I think they respect me for it. Best of all, I am fulfilling a dream I have had to work in higher education — especially at an institution whose ideals I mostly share.

Hope I never wake up.